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This first sound from a reader across the Martian surface joins a growing playlist of sounds from Mars being sent back to Earth by Perseverance. A second microphone, part of the rover’s SuperCam instrument, previously picked up the sigh of the Martian wind and the rapid ticking sound of laser zapping rocks to reveal details of their structure and composition. This information will help scientists search the Jezero Crater for signs of ancient microscopic life, taking samples of rocks and sediment that will be returned to Earth by future missions.
The sounds from the SuperCam were part of a series of systems checks the rover performed, ranging from disassembling Perseverance’s massive robotic arm to its first weather observations using Mars’ Environmental Dynamics Analyzer.
The rover also searched for a suitable airfield for the Ingenuity Mars helicopter to attempt its first flight tests. Now that the right place has been found, the Perseverance and Ingenuity teams plan for the rover to deploy the helicopter, which will have 30 Martian days, or grounds (31 Earth days), to perform up to five flights of test.
And then the hunt for ancient life will begin in earnest, with Perseverance exploring land once thought to be covered in water. Between the rover’s 19 cameras and its two microphones, the experience will be rich in images and sounds. For Verma, who has helped “drive” NASA’s last four Martian rovers, plan their routes, and pass on instructions so they can take a day’s drive over unfamiliar terrain, the audio is more than cool. .
“The variations between Earth and Mars – we get a visual feeling of that,” she said. “But sound is a whole other dimension: seeing the differences between Earth and Mars and experiencing this environment up close.”
Learn more about the mission
A key focus of Perseverance’s mission to Mars is astrobiology, including looking for signs of ancient microbial life. The rover will characterize the planet’s geology and past climate, pave the way for human exploration of the Red Planet, and be the first mission to collect and hide Martian rock and regolith (broken rocks and dust).
Subsequent NASA missions, in cooperation with ESA (European Space Agency), would send spacecraft to Mars to collect these sealed samples on the surface and return them to Earth for further analysis.
The Mars 2020 Perseverance mission is part of NASA’s Moon-to-Mars exploration approach, which includes Artemis missions to the Moon that will help prepare for human exploration of the Red Planet.
JPL, which is managed for NASA by Caltech in Pasadena, Calif., Built and manages the operations of the Perseverance rover.
To learn more about perseverance:
mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/
nasa.gov/perseverance
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